Sheet metal wire clamp



Nov. 12,1935. R. A. BEcKERQsRQ, El AL 2,020,235

SHEET METAL WIRE CLAMP Filed Jan. 14, 1935 3nu entor Robert R. Becker. Sr. Siephen Backer,

Patented Now 12, 1935 A "z,o20,zs5

Robert A.

Becker, Sr.,

Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Y

and Stephen P. Becker,

Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,712

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a sheet metal wire clamp of that class which is employed for securing two or more wires together or securing a lead Wire to a feed wire in electrical installations and the like, and the invention relates more particularly to the construction of a clamp from a sheet article of this kind that shall be fabricated from sheet metal in the form of a stamping.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article containing few parts and those of rugged design, combining strength with lightweight.

Another object of the invention being to provide a clamp that may be placed upon one wire during the operation of inserting the other wires which are to be clamped together.

With these and other objects inview, our invention consists in certain novel construction ,and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fully described and claimed and further illustrated in theaccompanying drawing which forms a part hereof and in which likefigures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the views, and it is to be understood that slight changes may be made without departing, from the spirit of the invention.

Inthe drawing:

Figure 1 shows an enlarged front elevation of a sheet metal wire clamp embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same. Figure 4 shows a topplan view of the sheet metal stamping before the same has been formed into the finished shape.

Figure 5 shows anelevation or a modified form of the clamp in which the hooked arms are inte-.

gral with the back in place of being integral with the head as in Figures 1 to 4. 4

Figure6shows a sideelevation of the same.

Figure 7 shows a top plan view of the stamping before the same has been formed into final shape.

and detachable shoes for supporting and clamping the wires. I

Figure 9 is a cross, sectional view of Figure 8, taken on the line 9--9 to illustrate the shoes.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of Figure 8. 5

Referring to the drawing, while we have here-' with shown our clamp as being stamped from thin sheet metal, and primarily for use, in con- I nectio'n with wires of small diameter, it is to be understood that by increasing the thickness of M) the material from'which it is punched, that the clamp may be made in larger sizes, and for use with more than two wires, and also that in'place of the wire opening in the hooks, as shown, that these may be V-shaped or of other design, and it I also that, the shoes may be so designed as to be interchangeable for wires of different diameter, thus providing that the same clamp may be used for different wires by interchanging the shoes.

In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, we have shown a 20 clamp that is punched or stamped from sheet material into a blank as shown in Figure 4, the inner edges of the hooks or arms ID to be bent along the dotted lines II to form the flanges l2 which not only stiffen these arms it but also pro- 25 vide a wider edge upon which the wire Hi can rest.

The head l3 which is integral with the arms Ill is formed with a central hole i5 around which the metal is thickened by drawing or embossing the metal, and this hole i5 is threaded for the 30 clamping set screw it. The arms It] being bent at right angles to the head and in parallel relation with each other, the junction between the arm I 0 and the head l3 being formed with a'web ll to add to the strength and rigidity of the de- 35 vice.

In the modified form illustrated in Figures 5,

6 and 7, the blank shown in Figure 7, is formed with a head la, a back I ii and the two arms 20 'which have their sides integral with the back 40 In this form, the hooked arms 20 are also fianged as at 2i, and the back I9 is provided with a rib 22, while the head IB- is also thickened by a boss 23. But in this case the flanges 2| are 45 shown on the outer sides of the arms 20.

As shown in Figure 8, the flanges have been omitted and the device is provided with the upper and lower interchangeable shoes 24 and 25; the

lower shoe 25 bridging the arms 26 and curved 50 the metal retaining this shoe in place. 55

The upper shoe 24 is also formed on its lower surface to take the wire I4, andhas the notches 28 adapted to ride upon the arms 28; or these notches may be omitted and the shoe mounted between the adjacent edges of the'hook as in the case ofthis upper shoe 24 it can not get away as it is secured to the end of the clamping screw 29, by a pair of lugs 30 that are struck from the shoe 24 and engage with an annular groove 3| formed adjacent the end of the screw 29.

In the employment of the clamp and especially where it is to be attached to an overhead wire, this may be done by the lineman with the use of one hand only and in the following manner.

The clamping screw having been backed ofl until a clear opening is obtained passed the point of the hooks, the clamp is hooked over the exposed overhead wire, where it will hang by itself,

and the other wire or wires are then inserted and the screw set up by the fingers until brought into contact'with the wires to retain them until the l. A wire clamp formed of a single sheet of metal and comprising a centrally located head having a threaded hole therein, a pair of parallel arms integral with said head and bent at right angles thereto and formed with wire retaining openings, a clamping screw threaded through the hole in said head, a shoe mounted in said arms adjacent the lower ends thereof for increasing the contact surface with a wire, and a 5 second shoe swivelly mounted on the end of the clamping screw and within the wire retaining openings in said arms and adapted to be brought into clamping contact with the wire by said screw.

2. A wire clamp comprising a pair of parallel hooks of sheet material, ahead integral with the upper ends thereof and formed with a tapped hole for a clamping bolt, a flanged shoe formed with notches adapted to embrace the inner edges of said hooks and retainsaid hooks in parallel relation and afford a large wire contact surface, and a second flanged follower having notches adapted to slide upon the inner edges of the hooks and formed with a swivel connection with the clamping bolt.

3. In a'sheet metal clamp of the class described, the combination with a single piece of sheet material formed with a head, a pair of parallel arms and a back connected to the head by a web, said head thickened and provided with a threaded hole, a concave flanged shoe formed with guide notches adapted to be mounted within said arms to provide an enlarged surface for a wire, a second flanged and concave follower slidably mounted on said arms and adapted to be clamped upon the wire, and a screw threaded within the thickened head for forcing the follower against the wire held in the shoe.

ROBERT A. BECKER, BR. STEPHEN BECKER. 

